Launching a kids food startup during a pandemic: What these two LA women are learning.

Sunnie’s entrepreneurial backstory is one of those classic cases of “duh, why didn’t I think of that?”. Two busy, health-conscious LA moms, Katy & Lisette, were tired of the non-stop daily meal planning and half-eaten healthy lunches, so they decided to team up with one of the country’s leading pediatric nutrition experts to start their own “healthy version of Lunchables”. They launched Sunnie meal kits to fill the huge market need for healthy, kid-focused prepared foods. 

However, since the pandemic timing was NOT part of their original plan, they have some things to say about launching a food brand meant for “on-the-go parents” who currently have nowhere to go:

“We thought the launch would be a no-brainer, but now that everything is shut down parents are saying “this is great, I can’t wait to use it when our kids are back in school” – Lisette Howard, Sunnie Co-Founder & mom of 3. 

“When we launched we expected to be out in front of people with displays, picnics, etc. But instead, we’re putting in long hours building these kits and having to find other ways to get the word out.” – Katy Tucker, Sunnie Co-Founder & mom of 3.

The launch timing might be totally wrong, but these women are determined to make it work. They’ve already been on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show and have recently expanded Sunnie’s subscription delivery service from greater Los Angeles into the Orange County area.